In an offshore environment, there is always the possibility of damage occurring to subsea structures and equipment due to impact with an item that is intentionally towed or drifted in water or dropped overboard as well as with items that are accidentally dropped or lost from platforms or vessels. A variety of hard objects including anchors, anchor chains, construction lines, trawl boards, scaffolding, drill collars, pumps, valves and even whole containers can be lost overboard and can cause significant damage and disruption to operations if there is an impact with critical subsea infrastructure. A variety of devices and means have been devised to protect subsea structures from such impact damage. These devices include articulating mattresses that comprise concrete or similar elements joined together to allow relative articulation, hinged devices, protective covers and tunnels made of various materials including concrete, corrugated metals, plastics and composites, as well as coatings, sheets and sleeves that are laid or applied directly to a subsea structure. While conventional technologies may be suitable for protecting subsea structures from low energy impacts, there continues to be a need for a device and methods that will protect subsea structures from damage that would otherwise result from high energy impacts.